Travellers charged down country lanes on carriages at Appleby Horse Fair as thousands more visitors descended on Cumbria for Europe’s biggest Gypsy festival.
About 10,000 people from the Gypsy and traveller community are expected to attend this year’s gathering in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, along with 30,000 visitors between June 6 and 12.
On Sunday, spectators lined the streets as they watched travellers, including children, race down narrow lanes at death-defying speeds, while others were seen riding horses through the water.
The official Appleby Horse Fair social media shared footage of horses charging down the lanes, writing: ‘If you’re planning to visit Appleby today, please be on the alert for fast-moving horses, especially around the Flashing Lane.
‘Stay out of the carriageway as horses move at speed and cannot be quickly stopped if something or someone steps into their way.’
Over the weekend, footage has also emerged of a van going up in flames and police putting on a show of force as they patrolled the fair and investigated market traders.
The blaze on Saturday afternoon was captured on social media and showed huge crowds gathering as the Ford Transit van and nearby tents were engulfed in flames while thick plumes of smoke billowed across the fair.
Police and fire crews were called to the scene just after 11.40am, with officers extinguishing the fire. However, on Sunday, Cumbria Police confirmed the cause of the fire is not being treated as suspicious and nobody was injured.
A child races down the street in a horse drawn carriage as visitors watch on at Appleby Horse Fair on Sunday
Two pals charge down the street on horses as thousands more gathered for Appleby Horse Fair
About 10,000 people from the Gypsy and traveller community are expected to attend this year’s gathering in Appleby, Cumbria, along with 30,000 visitors between June 6 and 12
In separate footage, at least seven officers were seen investigating stalls at the fair and walking away with goods
In separate footage, at least seven officers were seen investigating stalls at the fair. Cumrbia Police officers were supporting Westmorland and Furness Council Trading Standards, who last year seized more than £500,000 worth of counterfeit goods.
That included 2,500 pairs of sunglasses and nearly 200 bottles of perfume with counterfeit Cartier, Fendi, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Dior trademarks.
Trading Standards have this year again asked traders to check their goods are genuine. Footage showed officers scouring through stalls and then walking off with plastic bags full of goods.
It comes as thousands of gypsies descended on the horse fair in Cumbria on Sunday despite the rain for another day of revelry.
The fair sees the 3,000 population of Appleby-in-Westmorland swell by a factor of 10 as visitors swarm to the annual event.
Of those, an estimated 10,000 are from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller (GRT) community.
Visitors could be seen dressed in their finery and wrapped up in waterproof coats and donning wellies.
In its 250-year history the fair has only been cancelled twice, the first in 2001 during the foot and mouth outbreak and the second in 2020 due to the pandemic.
A fire broke out at Appleby Horse Fair in Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria, on Saturday engulfing a tent, stall and van in flames as firefighters worked to tackle the blaze
Thick plumes of smoke billowed across the fair, but police are not treating the cause of the fire as suspicious
People attending the Appleby Horse Fair, the annual gathering of the travelling community in Appleby, Cumbria, on Sunday
Two girls are seen racing down the streets on carriages at Appleby Horse Fair on Sunday
Young boys and teenagers race through Appleby on horse drawn carriages on Sunday
The fair sees the 3,000 population of Appleby-in-Westmorland swell by a factor of 10 as visitors swarm to the annual event
In its 250-year history the fair has only been cancelled twice, the first in 2001 during the foot and mouth outbreak and the second in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic
The gathering is billed as the biggest traditional gypsy fair in Europe and has developed traditions that take place every year
The gathering is billed as the biggest traditional gypsy fair in Europe and has developed traditions that take place every year.
Gypsy horses are washed in the River Eden in Appleby and trotted up and down the ‘Flashing Lane’ – a closed-off rural road – before being haggled over and bought.
Families and even children hopped on their ponies and horses to trot down the lane, showing off the animals while others watched on from the side of the road.
Visitors couldn’t be put off by the rain and ran their carriages around the site as puddles formed and onlookers got soaked.
Many donned practical outfits having clearly noted the weather forecast beforehand but others chose flashier ensembles including crop tops, mini skirts, shirts and vests.
The market Jimmy Winter’s Field includes stalls selling everything from fashion to horse-related wares.
The fair is held outside the town of Appleby, at the point where the old Roman Road crosses Long Marton Road, on Gallows Hill, which was named after the public hangings that were once carried out there.
People riding horses in water during the Appleby Horse Fair, the annual gathering of the travelling community in Appleby
The fair is held outside the town of Appleby, at the point where the old Roman Road crosses Long Marton Road, on Gallows Hill
The gathering is sometimes known as ‘the New Fair’ because Appleby’s medieval borough fair, held at Whitsuntide, ceased in 1885
Thousands of gypsies descended on the horse fair in Cumbria despite the rain, dressed in their finery as they huddled under umbrellas on Saturday
Many donned practical outfits having noted the weather forecast beforehand but others chose flashier ensembles including crop tops, mini skirts, fur coats and white trousers – despite the mud
Despite the chilly weather, some fair-goers opted for leggy looks, flashing their tans in glitzy mini skirts as they wrapped up warm in puffer coats
It was once thought the fair originated from a royal charter to the borough of Appleby from King James II of England in 1685, although more recent research has found the charter was cancelled before it was ever enacted.
The gathering is sometimes known as ‘the New Fair’ because Appleby’s medieval borough fair, held at Whitsuntide, ceased in 1885.
The ‘New Fair’ began in 1775 for sheep and cattle drovers and horse dealers to sell their stock.
By the 1900s it had evolved into a major Gypsy/Traveller event which brought families from across the UK and Europe.
